Filling and closing means for receptacles



' Sept. 29, 1936.

5 G. R. PIERCE FILLING AND CLOSING MEANS FOR RECEPTACLES Filed Nov. 10, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l fizz/672282:- 121 129766 H 4 6 ,D H m "r 5 u/ O L U N/I w E Sept. 29, 1936. R p E E 2,055,704

FILLING AND CLOSING MEANS FOR RECEPTACLES Filed Nov. 10, 1933 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 97' I Z2. L95 59 105mg 1'05 109 iii "Ill-l IIIII ll 1 5 1520672 Z32: 1'05 eaary'ejffikrae;

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Patented Sept. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FILLING AND CLOSING MEANS FOR RECEPTACLES 62 Claims.

This invention relates to filling and closing means for receptacles, and more particularly to filling and capping apparatus for liquid containers such as milk bottles, or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for filling and closing receptacles. Another object is to provide an improved filling and capping apparatus for liquid containers such as milk bottles, or the like. A further object is to provide an improved bottle filling apparatus so constructed as to dispense with the use of valves and displacement means. Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved filling tube arrangement for such an apparatus and having associated therewith improved sealing means whereby the milk bottles or like receptacles are maintained sealed during the filling process, the seal being broken during the final filling operation thereby to prevent contact of the liquid with the sealing means. Still another object is to provide improved means for filling simultaneously a plurality of receptacles and having associated therewith improved means whereby the receptacles are filled to the exact level desired. Yet another object is to provide in an apparatus of the above character improved means for sustaining the receptacles to be filled independently of each other and including individual yieldable or resilient supporting means for each receptacle. A further object is to provide an improved filling tube arrangement and improved sealing means associated therewith thereby to provide fluid tight joints or seals at the mouths of the receptacles during the filling operation. A still further object is to provide improved means for supporting the receptacles during movement thereof into and out of filling and capping position and during the actual filling and capping operations and having improved means for holding and spacing the receptacles during such filling and capping operations. Yet another object is to provide improved means for effecting capping or closure of the receptacles subsequent to the filling operation, the improved capping or closure means being operated by elements of the receptacle filling means and by a common operating means. Another object is to provide an improved filling tube and sealing arrangement particularly adapted to use with liquid containers whereby contact of the liquid with the sealing means is wholly eliminated, thereby obviating any possibility of contamination of the liquid by direct contact with the sealing means. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, hereinafter more fully appear in the course of the following description and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration one form which the 5 invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the illustrative embodiment of the improved filling and capping apparatus.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1 and illustrating structural details of the filling and capping unit.

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View taken through one of the filling tubes and sealing washers, the tube and washers being shown in filling and sealing position with respect to a container. 20

Fig. 5 is a detail view showing one of the vent tubes.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of, Fig. 5.

t Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the liquid supply 25 Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the bottom spring case.

Fig. 9 is an end elevational view of the spring case shown in Fig. 8. 30

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of the upper container receiving case.

Fig. 11 is a side elevational View of the container receiving case shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is an end elevational view of the case 35 shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

Fig. 13 is a top plan view of the holding and spacing frame.

Fig. 14 is a detail view taken on line i l-l4 of Fig. 13. 40

Fig. 15 is an end elevational view of the improved capping device.

Fig. 16 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 16-46 of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary plan view of the cap 45 receiving slide or plate.

Fig. 18 is a detail sectional view showing structural details of the capping device.

Figs. 19 and 20 are detail views showing details of the cap release lock. 50

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the capping device in capping position on a receptacle.

Figs. 22 and 23 are detail views showing the supplemental receptacle support. 55

In this illustrative construction there is shown a receptacle filling and capping apparatus generally comprising a support herein in the form of a central standard or pedestal I! mounted on a suitable base or bottom support 2. Swivelly mounted on this pedestal l directly above the base 2 is a rotatable frame 3 having a plurality,

herein three, of radially projecting supporting arms 4. Mounted on and supported by each of these arms is the improved filling and capping unit generally designated 5. Swivelly supported at the upper end of the pedestal i above the filling and capping unit 5 is a rotatable liquid storage or supply tank 6. This storage tank is preferably circular in form, and, as shown most clearly in Fig. 7, is divided into four chambers 'l, 8, 9 and I9 separated by suitable radial partitions ll of different height, these partitions dividing the circular tank into the chambers l, 3 and 9 of equal capacity, the partitions being so formed that when liquid is poured into the initial chamber 7 the liquid overflows the adjacent partition when the chamber is filled and so on until the three chambers 1, 8 and 9 are filled to equal capacity, any overflow from the last chamber 8 being received by the overflow chamber H0. The chamber I8 is provided with a suitable operator-controlled valve l2 having an operating handle l3 whereby surplus liquid may be discharged from the overflow chamber at will. Each of the supply chambers l, 8 and 9 is provided with a similar valve i l and drain pipes whereby the liquid therein may be discharged to the filler units 5 at will, it being possible, due to the rotatable or swivel mounting for the filler unit supporting frame 3 to move the filler units beneath any one of the supply chambers l, 6 and 9 to receive liquid therefrom, as desired.

The filler units 5 are herein designed to receive a case of twelve quart size containers, although it will be evident that containers of a less or greater number and of different sizes may be employed, if desired and that the supply tank chambers may be designed to receive any desired quantity of liquid. It is also evident that instead of providing separate supply chambers in the supply tank, the latter may be provided with but a single large chamber containing sufficient liquid for all the filling units, or if desired a separate supply tank may be employed for each filling unit. The filling units are herein designed to accommodate pint and half-pint containers, and the supply tank or tanks may, if desired, be removed from the pedestal and replaced by a tank or tanks of suitable capacity, or detachable plugs or valves may be carried by the chamber partitions to vary the liquid level in the chambers and as a result to vary the chamber capacity to accommodate such pint and half pint containers. In any instance, the liquid is supplied to the filling units through suitable discharge pipes under the control of suitable operator-controlled valve means.

As above mentioned, there are herein disclosed three filling and capping units and three liquid storage chambers, one for each unit, although any desired number, more or less, may be employed.

Now referring to the improved filling and capping unit per se, it will be noted that supported on and suitably secured to an arm 6 of the swivel frame, as shown in Fig. 2, is a horizontal base plate It, and this plate has secured thereto, as by screws ll, upstanding side frames l8, 8. The outer sides of these side frames are vertically jecting downwardly through openings 25 formed in the supporting plate 2| are vertical filling tubes or nozzles 26 of the valveless type, herein twelve in number, one individual to each container to be filled, and each of these filling tubes projects upwardly a slight distance above the tank bottom in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The lower ends of these filling tubes are of reduced section forming a shoulder 27 against which is seated a metal washer 28 which forms an abutment against which a rubber sealing washer 29 engages, this sealing washer being conical in form and supported on and surrounding the reduced lower end of the filling tube. To suitably locate the sealing washer 29 on the filling tube thereby to vary the distance in which the filling tube projects within the container mouth, there may be interposed between the sealing washer and the metal washer 28 suitable rubber or metal washer shims 30, it being possible by inserting or removing these shims to vary the position of the sealing washer on the filling tube so that each sealing washer will evenly and with equal pressure engage the mouth of the container to be filled and thereby maintain proper sealing engagement with the container mouth, and the filling tube will projectthe desired distance into the container neck.

It will herein be noted that the containers disclosed-are in the form of milk bottles of the quart size, the particular bottles shown being of a standard design. It will be observed that in a standard milk bottle a bead 35 surrounds the sunken mouth 36 and an annular ledge or abutment 31 is formed within the bottle mouth adjacent the bead, and upon this ledge the closures, usually paper caps, are seated. The sealing washer 29 seats on this annular ledge 31 during the fillingprocess, so that even if the bead 35 is chipped or cracked, the bottle will still-be tightly sealed. The liquid in astandardmilk bottle usually assumes a levelslightly below this annular ledge 31 so that when the cap is pressed in position within the sunken mouth of the bottle the liquid will not be placed under pressure, a disadvantageous feature whereby possibility of liquid being forced around the edges of the cap results. This slight clearance also compensates for any expansionof the liquid due to temperature changes.

Again referring to the improved filling tube arrangement, it will be noted that arranged diagonally within each of the filling tubes is a vent tube 38 having a spoon mouth or-out-away portion 39 at its lower end extending substantially coextensively with the filling tube and each vent tube projects upwardly above the top of the filling tube and above the levelof the liquid in the filling tank 23. These vent tubes project downwardly to the bottoms of the filling tubes and each tube has a projecting lug engageable with the top of its filling tube toprevent the vent tube from slipping down through the filling tube. In the present instance there are provided six pairs of vent tubes, one for each of the twelve filling tubes,

and the tubes of each pair are held in position within the filling tubes by springs 39*. The vent tubes are obviously readily removable by simple withdrawal from the filling tubes for cleaning purposes. The spoon mouths of the diagonal vent tubes 38 prevent the trapping of air by the liquid fiowing over the vent tube mouths, the spoon mouths being cut back on the vent tubes to a point adjacent the tops of the filling tubes. If desired, the vent tubes may be omitted and the filling tube sealing Washers 29 adjusted relative to the filling tubes 26 so that the volumetric capacity of the filling tubes will be sufficient to retain liquid to effect filling of the bottles to the desired level. It has been found, however, that the use of the diagonal vent tubes greatly increases the filling speed. As shown in Fig. 1, the filling tank 23 of each filling unit is provided with an inclined inner wall 46] forming an overhanging lip at the rear end of the filling tank, this lip underlying the discharge pipe [5 of the liquid supply tank ii so that liquid may be discharged fromthe supply chamber directly to the filling tank under the control of the discharge valve. The inner lower end of the filling tank, that is the lowermost point in the tank bottom, is provided with an operator-controlled discharge valve 4! and drain pipe 42 so that when the milk bottles have been filled, any surplus liquid remaining in the filling tank may be discharged therefrom, the drain pipe 42 discharging such surplus liquid to a suitable tank 43 supported on the pedestal I as by a bracket 44 attached to the pedestal.

Now referring to the improved means for moving the upstanding side frames 28, 20 of the filling tank support along the guideways I9, IS on the side frames to raise and lower the filling tank to move the filling tubes and sealing washers out of and into their operative filling and sealing positions with respect to the bottles, it will be observed that pivotally mounted at 45 on the side frames it, one adjacent each side frame, are elements 46 having cam slots 41 and having attached thereto at 48 a U-shaped handle 49. Journaled on pin-like projections 50 secured to the supporting arms 26, 20 are rollers 5| which travel in the cam slots 41 so that when the operating handle 49 is manipulated and the elements 46 are swung about their pivots 45, relative movement between the rollers and cam slots occurs so that the cam slots force the supporting arms 25, 20 either upwardly or downwardly within their guideways thereby to move the filling tank 23 into its raised or lowered position. Pivotally mounted at 58 on the elements 46 are swingable lock elements 59, each having spaced notches Gil engageable with the pin-like projections 59 so that when the filling tank is in its raised position shown in Fig. 1, one set of the notches engage the pin-like projections to lock the cam rollers against movement relative to the cam slots, and as a result, positively precluding downward movement of the filling tank while when the filling tank is in the lowered container filling position the other set of notches lock the same in such position. These pivoted locking elements 59 are provided with a suitable operating handle 6! having its operating portion located adjacent the cam operating handle 49, as shown in Fig. 1.

The improved spring case and container transporting or transfer case will now be described. As shown in Fig. 2, supported above the bottom plate I6 is a horizontal slide plate 65 having its lateral edges guided in longitudinal grooves 66 formed in the inner sides of the side frames I8, i8. A stop 66 is provided on the frame 4 for limiting inward movement to the slide plate so that the containers are always positioned direct- 1y below the filling tubes. Secured to this slide plate 65 are coiled springs 61, one individual to each bottle, so that the bottles are independently resiliently sustained. Also secured to the slide plate 65 are the vertical walls 68 of the spring case, these walls being herein in the form of a fabricated metal structure and the spring case is provided at its opposite ends with suitable handles 69 so that the complete spring case and bottom slide 65 may be bodily removed from the bottom frame structure of the filling and capping unit. Also formed in the inner sides of the side frames [8 are longitudinal grooves 10 and 'Il arranged at different elevations with respect to the bottom grooves 66 so that the bottom slide plate 65 and spring case may be supported by the side frames at different elevations, thereby to accommodate bottles of the pint and half-pint sizes, instead of the quart size shown, in a manner to be hereinafter described. Insertible within the bottom spring case is a transfer case 12, as shown in Figs. 10, l1 and 12, this transfer case likewise being formed of suitable fabricated metal structure and having suitable handles '13. In the case shown, however, the interior thereof is divided into twelve sections by longitudinal and transverse partition rods 14 and 15 thereby providing an individual chamber for each of the twelve bottles. These chambers are open from end to end through the top and bottom of the transfer case, and to support the bottles therein during transport thereof, there are provided supporting members 16, herein in the form of crank rods rotatably mounted within the sides of the case and each having portions I1 projecting within the bottom of the bottle receiving chambers, thereby to form a bottom support for the bottles therein. These supporting rods are maintained in their supporting position by levers 78 held in position by a locking plate 19, this locking plate having a series of apertures receiving the levers 18 of the four supporting rods. This locking plate is maintained in looking position by springs 80 and is guided for its movement by pins Bl guided within a bracket 82 secured to the side of the case frame. When the transfer case, as shown in Figs. 10, l1 and 12, is filled with empty bottles, it may be inserted within the spring case, the latter being so formed as to receive the transfer case. When the transfer case is seated within the spring case, the springs 67 of the latter project upwardly through the bottoms of the bottle receiving chambers of the transfer case into positions wherein the bottles rest on the coil springs 61. When the bottles are so positioned within the spring and transfer cases, a holding and spacing frame 83 is placed over the bottle necks in the manner as shown in Fig. 2, and the opposite ends of this frame 83 are provided with spring catches 84 having locking projections 85 adapted to spring beneath the handles 69 of the spring case frame 68 to lock the frame 83 in its holding and spacing position and to maintain the transfer case down in the spring case.

When the spring case frame 68 is inserted within the bottom frame of the filling unit, as shown in Fig. 2, and the transfer case 72 is positioned within the spring case, as shown, the operator may grasp the handle 49 and move th latter upwardly a slight-distance to release the cam lock, the lock elements dropping into their released position by gravity. The operator then swings the handle $3 of the cam operating means downwardly to lower the filling tank 23 thereby to bring the sealing washers 29 in sealing engagement with the bottle mouths in the manner shown in Fig. 4 with the filling tubes projecting downwardly through the bottle mouths a substantial distance within the bottle necks. When the sealing washers are so positioned the bottles are resiliently held in sealing engagement with the washers by means of the coiled bottle supporting springs E51, the springs also serving as yieldable supports for the bottles thereby to elim inate the possibility .of bottle breakage. When the parts are so positioned the operator opens the discharge valve M of one of the supply tank chambers, thereby permitting the liquid to flow from the supply chamber through the discharge pipe l5 into the filling tank 23. The liquid flowing into the filling tank fiows through the filling tubes 26 into the bottles, the liquid flowing into the bottles displacing the air therein until the level of the liquid rises up to the level of the bottoms of the filling tubes, the air displaced discharging from the bottles through the vent tubes 38. The air trapped in the spaces above the bottoms of. the tubes 26 and below the sealing washers prevents further flow of liquid into the bottles. The spoon mouths 39 of the vent tubes permit free venting of the air from the spaces within the bottles below the bottoms of the tubes 26 even when the foam, caused by the liquid rushing through the filling tubes, rises a substantial distance within the filling and vent tubes. It will herein be noted that the vent tubes, due to their diagonal position within the filling tubes, act as separating means to deflect the milk into a plurality of streams so as to prevent excessive foaming of the liquid as it flows through the filling tubes into the bottles. When the level of the liquid in the bottles has reached the bottoms of. the filling tubes, the operator opens the valve 46 of the tank drain pipe 42 to permit any surplus liquid left in the tank to drain off. The operator then raises the lever 59, moving the filling tank upwardly and breaking the sealing contact between the washers 23 and the bottle mouths, the

liquid then remaining in the filling tubes flowing into the bottles substantially filling the space in the bottles left by the filling tubes when the bottles are sealed, the volumetric capacity of the filling and vent tubes being so determined as to completely fill the bottles to a level slightly below the cap ledge 31, ready for capping.

When bottles of the pint and half-pint sizes are used, instead of the quart bottles disclosed, the spring case is inserted in one or the other of the guideways 73, H in the side frames l8 thereby to bring the spring case into a different elevated position so that when the filling tank is moved downwardly, these bottles of different sizes may be filled in exactly the same manner as that above described. In certain instances, however, it has been found that the supporting rods E6 of the transfer case 52 permit the smaller bottles to drop down through the bottoms of the bottle receiving chambers, and to overcome this difiiculty there is provided, as shown in Fig. 22, a supplemental supporting container 88, one for each bottle compartment in the transfer case l2. These supporting elements each have a bottom opening through which the springs of the spring case'extend so that when the elements 86 are in position within the transfer case, the springs yieldably support the bottles as heretofore described. These supporting elements 86 are held within the bottle chambers by means of spring clips 87 engageable with the side frames and partition rods 14, 15 of the transfer case, thereby to hold the supports 36 in position. Different sets of these supplemental-supports 86 may be provided for bottles of different sizes. It will be evident, however, that the supporting rods 16 may be so formed as to accommodate bottles of different sizes, thereby obviating thenecessity of these separate supports. As the filling operation for the bottles of the pint and half-pint sizes is exactly the same as that described above in regard to the quart bottles, a repetition of the description of. the filling process for these different sized bottles is considered unnecessary.

Now referring to the improved capping device whereby the bottles may be capped by means operated by the filling tank raising and lowering handle, it will be noted that mounted on a suitable supporting structure 88 is a horizontal plate 89 carrying a plurality, herein three, of cap receiving tubes or magazines 90. Each of these tubes is provided with a flared upper end 9! to receive the cap container C and is vertically slotted at 92 so that as the caps are lowered into the cap tubes 99, the operator may insert his finger, or some suitable instrument, within this slot to control the movement of the caps down through the tubes. Slidable beneath the bottoms of the cap tubes 98 and guidedin a horizontal guideway on the supporting structure 58 is a horizontally disposed cap receiving plate 93. Secured to each of the cap tubes 98, as shown in Fig. 16, is a leaf spring 94 having bottom fingers Q5 movable inwardly within slots cut in the plate 93 to a position wherein the fingers underlie the bottommost caps to maintain the caps in the tubes when the plate 93 has been withdrawn from beneath the same. Secured to each of these leaf springs, at the rear side thereof, is a spring catch 96. When the cap receiving plate 93 is slid inwardly within its guideway beneath the bottoms of the cap tubes 95 upstanding lugs 91 on the rear end of the plate, as shown in Figs. 16 and 17, engage hinged elements 98 carried by transverse members 99 secured to the leaf springs 94 respectively, and these lugs 9? upon engagement with the hinged elements 98 push the leaf springs rearwardly to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 16, moving the fingers 95 from beneath the cap tubes, thereby to release the caps in the tubes. As the leaf springs 94 move into this dotted line position, the catches 9t thereon engage an element 19E] of the supporting structure 88 to hold the cap release fingers in such position. As the cap receiving plate 93 is slid into its rearmost position within its guideway the lugs 97 thereon engage a lever l0! pivoted on the supporting structure 88, and this lever upon engagement of an adjacent lug 91 with the same, swings freely rearwardly to permit the lug to pass beneath the same. When the lug has passed beneath this lever, the latter swings freely forwardly into a position in front of the lug. As the cap receiving plate 93 is slid toward its rearmost position and the cap release fingers are in their released position, the caps in the cap tubes are free to move downwardly so that when the cap receiving plate is so moved, each of the twelve openings in the plate receives a cap from the tubes. As the cap receiving plate 93 is withdrawnfrom its guideway beneath the-cap tubes,

the lug thereon engages the lever IOI to swing the latter forwardly thereby to release the spring catches 96 from the element I to permit the leaf springs to spring inwardly toward the cap tubes, and as a result bringing the release fingers 95 beneath the lowermost caps in the tubes. As the leaf springs swing down in front of the lugs 91 the hinged elements 98 swing forwardly about their pivots upon engagement of the lugs therewith to permit the lugs to pass forwardly beneath the leaf springs of the cap release means. The cap receiving plate is then completely withdrawn from its guideway on the supporting structure 88, and upon removal thereof a plate m2 is placed upon the same, this plate being held in position on the cap receiving plate 93 by means of an overhanging lip I03 formed on the lugs 91 at one side and a spring clip I04 on the other side in the manner shown in Fig. 18. Secured to the cap receiving plate 93 are twelve cylinderlike elements I05, one for each cap receiving opening, and each of these elements has formed therein a chamber I06 receiving a piston or plunger element I01. Each of these piston elements is provided with a projecting piston rod I08 having formed thereon an enlarged head I09 having a central recess H0. Interposed between the head I09 and the outer side of the cylinder element I is a coil spring I I l for holding the pistons I01 in their outermost released position. After the cap receiving plate 93 has been removed from the cap tubes 90 and the holding plate I02 has been attached thereto thereby to retain the caps within the receiving plate, the cap receiving plate is inverted and placed over the mouths of the twelve quart bottles in the spring case, the circular recesses H2 in the plate I02 seating directly on the tops of the bottles and maintaining the bottles in proper location during the capping operation. When the cap receiving plate is inverted, the caps therein are prevented from dropping away therefrom through openings II3 formed in the plate I02 by means of tapered portions or lips I I4 projecting inwardly to form a restricted opening of a size slightly less than the diameter of the caps. When the capping plate is in the position above described on the tops of the bottles, the operator swings the handle 49 downwardly to lower the filling tank until the bottoms of the filling tubes 26 engage the bottoms of the recesses H0 on the heads I09 of the pistons I01, and upon further downward movement of the filling tubes the plunger pistons are moved downwardly, forcing the caps through the restricted openings in the plate I02 into capping position on the annular ledges 36 of the sunken mouths of the bottles. It will thus be seen that the operating means for raising and lowering the filling tank not only controls the operation of the bottle filling means, but also effects operation of the bottle capping means.

In this instance the coil springs I I I of the cap ping plungers are under greater tension than the supporting springs of the spring case when the bottles are in filling position within the latter, so that when one or more of the bottles is of less height than the others, the springs support ing the high bottles will be compressed as the operating means for the capping plungers is lowered, so upon further lowering of the capping means, the low bottle or bottles will be properly capped; the high bottles being first capped and thereafter the low bottles being capped. By so proportloning the springs of the spring case and capping device it will be evident that bottles of varying height may be capped and without placing undue pressure on the bottles themselves, the spring case springs yielding as the capping device operating means is lowered into this low capping position.

When the bottles have been filled and capped the operator grasps the handles 69 of the spring case and removes the entire case unit, together with the bottles, from the filling and capping frame. These cases which are locked together are then released from one another simply by releasing the spring catches 84, 85 of the holding and spacing frame 83 from the spring case handles 50. The transfer case "I2 is then removed from the spring case and the spring case replaced in its operative position within the filling and capping unit frame. The transfer case is then placed into a standard delivery case, not shown, the locking element 19 upon engagement with a side of the delivery case moving upwardly into its released position as the transfer case is lowered within the delivery case, thereby releasing the levers 78 of the bottle supporting rods 16 permitting the supporting portions 11 thereof to drop downwardly, and as a result the bottles drop down through the bottom of the transfer case into the delivery case. The transfer case is then lifted out from the delivery case, and after refilling thereof with empty bottles, it is again placed into the spring case of the filling and capping unit, and the operations above described may then be repeated. If desired, a plurality of transfer cases may be employed so when one is being placed into the delivery case another may be placed with empty bottles into the spring case, so that during transfer of the filled bottles another case of bottles may be filled.

As a result of this invention, it will be noted that an improved apparatus is provided for filling andcapping containers whereby the containers may be filled to the exact level desired with great rapidity and without the use of separate valve means in the filling tubes and liquid displacement means in the filling tubes. It will further be noted that by the provision of the improved capping apparatus disclosed a case of bottles may be simultaneously capped by means operated by the same means as that which operates the container filling means. It will further be noted that by the use of the particular spring case and transfer case disclosed the handling of the containers has been reduced to a minimum. These and other uses and advantages of the improved filling and. capping apparatus will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a container filling apparatus, a base, a liquid tank, means on said base for raising and lowering said tank, a valveless filling tube fixed to and depending from the tank bottom, said filling tube adapted to enter the mouth of a container, a sealing washer carried by said filling tube, a vent tube in said filling tube for venting the container during fiow of liquid from said tank through said filling tube to the container, and

means for adjusting the position of said-sealing washer axially relative to said filling tube to vary the distance which said filling and vent tubes project within the container mouth, said tank loweringmeans being operative to lower said filling and vent tubes and washer respectively into filling, venting and sealing position with respect to the container.

2. In a container filling apparatus, a spring case, a container transfer case receivable in said spring case, a frame for holding and spacing the containers in said transfer case, the spring case having means for yieldably supporting the containers during the filling process, and means engageable with the mouths of the containers for sealing and filling the containers, the yieldable container supporting means of the spring case yieldably maintaining the containers in sealing engagement with said sealing means during the filling process.

3. In a container filling apparatus, a support, aliquid tank guided for vertical movement on said support, means for raising and lowering said tank relative to said support, means on said support for receiving and supporting a plurality of identic containers, valveless filling tubes depending from the tank bottom and adapted to project within the mouths of the containers when said tank is in its lowered position for conducting liquid from said tank to said containers, and vent tubes extending into said'filling tubes for venting the containers during the filling process, said filling and vent tubes containing an exact predetermined quantity of liquid so that when said tank is raised the liquid retained in said filling and vent tubes is adapted to fill completely the containers to the exact capping'level desired ready for capping.

4. In a container filling apparatus, a liquid tank, a valveless filling tube secured to and depending from the tank bottom, said filling tube adapted to extend into the mouth of a container; asealing washer carried by said tube beneath said tank and adapted to engage the container mouth to seal the container during the filling process, a vent tube in said filling tube for venting the container during the filling-process, and means insertible between the filling tube and washer for'adjusting'the position of said washer in a direction axially relative to said filling and vent tubes.

5. In a container filling apparatus, a liquid tank, a filling tube depending from the tank bottom and adapted to extend into the mouth of a container, a. sealing washer carried by said tube and adapted to engage the container mouth to seal the container during the-filling process; and a vent tube arranged diagonally within said fill ing tube and extending from the bottom of said tube upwardly a substantial distance above the top of said tube, said diagonal'vent tube forming a deflecting element so that as liquid fiows through said feeding tube it is divided into a plurality of streams, said vent tube having a spoon mouth therein extending coextensively with the filling tube to prevent closing of the vent by the flowing liquid.

6; In a container filling apparatus, a base, a container filling unit supported thereby, and a liquid supply tank supported by said base and arranged above said'filling unit, said supply tank being adjustable relative to the base and having a plurality of supply chambers movable upon adjustment of said tank selectively into positions to supply liquid to said filling unit.

7. Ina container filling apparatus, a base having a central bearing, a plurality of container filling units mounted on said base bearing to turn thereabout into different filling positions, and a centrally located liquid supply tank carried by said base above said filling units and having a discharge opening, said filling units being rotat able about said base bearing selectively into liquid receiving position beneath said tank discharge opening.

8. In a container filling and capping apparatus, container filling means including a liquid supply tank having a terminal filling element through which the liquid fiows from the tank to a container to be filled, container capping means for capping the filled container, and common means for moving said liquid supply tank to bring said terminal filling element into and out of container filling position and for moving said terminal filling element tooperate said capping means.

9. In a container filling apparatus, a container case for receiving a plurality of identic containers, container filling means comprising a liquid tank and valveless filling tubes carried by said tank and adjustable therewith relative to the case into and out of container filling position, means for sealing said containers when said filling tubes and tank are in filling position with respect to the containers, means for supplying liquid to said tank, said tubes conducting liquid from said tank to the containers when the latter are sealed by said sealing means, said tubes projecting downwardly within the container mouths so that when liquid is supplied to said tank by said liquid supply means the containers are filled to a level at the bottoms of said tubes, means movable with said tubes for venting the containers during the filling process, and means for thereafter breaking the container seal and completely filling the containers, said complete filling operation occurring only when the seal is broken and the filling tubes and venting means are raised upwardly within the container mouths.

10. In a container filling apparatus, a base, a spring case, a container transfer case receivable within said spring case, a frame for holding and spacing the: containers in said transfer case, means for locking said frame to the spring case, and container filling means adjustable relative to said spring and transfer cases for movement into and out of filling position with respect to the containers to be filled.

11. In a container filling apparatus, a base, a spring case, acontainer transfer case receivable within said spring case, a frame for holding and spacing the containers in said transfer case, means for locking said frame tothe spring case, and container filling means adjustable relative to said spring and transfer cases for movement into and out of filling position with respect to the containers to be filled, said spring case, transfer case and frame being removable from said base as a unit.

12. Ina container filling apparatus, container fillingmeans'inoluding a liquid tank and a plurality of liquid feed tubes depending therefrom, a vent tube located in each of said feed tubes, and spring means for releasably frictionally, retaining said vent tubes within said feed tubes and in yielding frictional engagement with the inner walls of the latter.

13. In a container capping apparatus, a cap receiving plate-disposable on the tops of a plurality of identic containers for maintaining the latter in proper spaced relation during the capping process and having openings registering with the container mouths, said openings each adapted to receive a cap, and means supported by said plate for discharging a plurality of caps simultaneously from said plate through said openings into capping position with respect to the container mouths.

14. In a container capping apparatus, a cap receiving plate disposable on the tops of a plurality of identic containers for maintaining the latter in proper spaced relation during the capping process and having openings registering with the container mouths, said openings each adapted to receive a cap, and means for discharging a plurality of caps simultaneously from said plate through said openings into capping position with respect to the container mouths and including plungers, one individual to each cap receiving opening, for discharging the caps from said openings, said plungers carried by said container spacing and cap receiving plate.

15. In a container capping apparatus, cap receiving and feeding magazines, a guide means by which said magazines are carried and having a guide way, a plate insertible beneath said magazines in the guide way of said guiding means and having a plurality of recesses for receiving the caps discharged from said magazines, and means for holding the caps in said recesses on said plate when the latter is removed from said magazine.

16. In a container filling apparatus, a liquid supply tank, a valveless filling tube for conducting liquid from said tank to a container to be filled, a vent tube projecting into said filling tube and extending from the bottom of the latter to a point above the level of the liquid in said tank for venting the container during flow of liquid to the latter from said tank through said filling tube, said filling and vent tubes adapted to extend into the mouth of the container a substantial distance below the top of the container, a sealing washer surrounding said filling tube and adapted to press tightly against the top of a container for sealing the container mouth during the filling process, the liquid flowing through said filling tube into the container to fill the latter to a level at the bottoms of said filling and vent tubes, and means for relatively moving said fill ing and vent tubes and the container to bring said filling and vent tubes and said sealing washer respectively into and out of filling, venting and sealing relation with respect to the container, said filling and vent tubes being of a combined predetermined volumetric capacity so that the liquid retained therein, when said filling and vent tubes are withdrawn from the container mouth and the seal is broken, is of an amount exactly sufiicient to fill the unfilled space left in the container, when said tubes are withdrawn as aforesaid, to fill the container always and without variation to the exact capping level.

17. In a container filling apparatus, a liquid supply tank, a filling tube extending through the tank bottom and adapted to extend into the mouth of a container a substantial distance below the top of the container, a sealing ring surrounding the filling tube and adapted to press tightly against the top of the container mouth for sealing the container during the filling process, the liquid in said tank adapted to fiow through said filling tube into the container to fill the container to a level at the bottom of the filling tube, a vent tube extending through said filling tube from the bottom of the latter to a point above the liquid level in said tank for venting the container during the filling process, said vent tube having a spoon mouth extending along the length of said filling tube, means for relatively moving said tank and container to bring the filling tube and sealing ring in their filling and sealing position, said filling tube and vent tube being of a combined volumetric capacity so that the liquid retain-ed therein, when the container and filling tube are relatively moved to bring the latter out of filling position with respect to the container mouth, the liquid retained therein is of an amount exactly sufficient to fill the unfilled space left in the container above the aforesaid container level and below the capping level of the container.

18. In a container filling apparatus, a pedestal having a base, a frame rotatably mounted on said pedestal and carrying a plurality of container filling units each having a liquid receiving tank, and a liquid supply tank mounted on said pedestal above said filling units, said frame being rotatable relative to said pedestal to move said filling unit tanks selectively into different positions relative to said supply tank to receive liquid discharged from said supply tank.

19. In a container filling apparatus, a pedestal having a base, a container filling unit supported by said pedestal base, and a liquid supply tank rotatably mounted on said pedestal above said filling unit and having a plurality of supply chambers movable selectively upon rotation of said tank into positions to supply liquid to said filling unit.

20. In a container filling and capping apparatus, container filling means having a liquid supply tank provided with a movable filling tube for conducting liquid from the tank to a container to be filled, container capping means, and common means for moving said tank to move said filling tube into and out of container filling position and for operating said capping means, said capping means being operated by said filling tube.

21. In a container filling and capping apparatus, container filling means having a liquid supply tank provided with a movable filling tube for conducting liquid from the tank to a container to be filled, container capping means including a cap positioning plunger, and common means for moving said tank to move said filling tube into and out of container filling position and for operating said capping means, said cap positioning plunger being operated by said filling tube.

22. In a container filling apparatus, a base, a spring case, a container transfer case receivable Within said spring case, a frame for holding and spacing the containers in said transfer case, means for locking said frame to said spring case, and container filling means, said filling means and said spring and transfer cases being relatively adjustable to bring said filling means into and out of filling position with respect to the containers to be filled.

23. In a container filling apparatus, a base, a spring case, a container transfer case receivable within said spring case, a frame for holding and spacing the containers in said transfer case, means for locking said frame to said spring case, and container filling means, said filling means and said spring and transfer cases being relatively adjustable to bring said filling means into and out of filling position with respect to the containers to be filled, said spring case, transfer case and frame being removable from said base as a unit.

24. In a container filling apparatus, container filling means including a plurality of liquid feed tubes, a vent tube located diagonally in each of said feed tubes, and a spring connected to the upper ends of said vent tubes for releasably holding the latter in frictional engagement with the inner walls of said feed tubes, one spring holding two of said vent tubes in position.

25. In a container filling apparatus, container filling means, and vent means for venting the container during the filling process including a diagonal vent tube having a longitudinal slot along one side thereof.

26. In a container filling apparatus, container filling means including a liquid feed tube, a vent tube arranged diagonally within said feed tube and having an open slot extending along one side thereof substantially coextensively with said feed tube.

27. In a container filling apparatus, container filling means including a liquid feed tube, a vent tube arranged diagonally within said feed tube and having an open slot extending along one side thereof substantially coeXtensively with said feed tube, and a projection on said vent tube engageable with the top of said feed tube for 10- cating said vent tube longitudinally within said feed tube.

28; In a container capping apparatus, a frame having a horizontal guideway, a cap receiving magazine for receiving a stack of caps and sup ported by said frame, a cap receiving member insertible in said frame guideway and having a series of openings adapted to pass beneath said magazine to receive caps from the latter as said member is slid within the guideway beneath said magazine, releasable means for locking the caps against movement from said magazine, and means oper ated upon insertion of said member within said guideway for releasing said locking means, the caps moving from said magazine into said member openings by gravity when said locking means is released.

29. In a container capping apparatus, a frame having a horizontal guideway, a plurality of cap receiving magazines each receiving a stack of caps and supported by said frame, a cap receiving plate receivable in said frame guideway and having a plurality of series of openings adapted to pass beneath said magazines selectively to receive caps from the latter as said plate is slid within the guideway beneath said magazines, the caps moving from said magazines into said plate openings by gravity, and means operated by said cap receiving plate as the latter is slid within said guideway for releasing the caps in said magazines so as the plate is slid within said guideway each opening therein receives a cap.

30. In a container capping apparatus, a frame having a horizontal guideway, a plurality of cap receiving magazines each receiving a stack of caps and supported by said frame, a cap receiving plate receivable in said frame guideway and having a plurality of series of openings adapted to pass beneath said magazines selectively to receive caps from the latter as said plate is slid within the guideway beneath said magazines, the caps moving from said magazines into said plate openings by gravity, and means operated by said cap receiving plate as the latter is slid within said guideway for releasing the caps in said magazines so as the plate is slid within said guideway each opening therein receives a cap, said releasing means moving automatically into cap locking position when said plate is withdrawn from said frame guideway.

31. In a container transfer means, a spring case, a container transfer case, said transfer case being insertible within said spring case, and a rack adapted to be locked to the spring case for holding the transfer case within said spring case; said rack forming a holding and spacing means for the containers in said transfer case.

32. In a container filling apparatus, a liquid tank, a filling tube rigidly fixed to and projecting from the tank bottom, said tube adapted to project within the mouth of a container to be filled for conducting liquid from said tank to the container, said tube having beneath the tank bottom a reduced lower portion presenting an annular shoulder, a metal washer surrounding the reduced end of said tube and engaging said annular shoulder, a container sealing washer surrounding and supported on they reduced end of said tube and engaging said metal washer, and means for adjusting said sealing washer with respect to said tube comprising means insertible between said metal washer and said sealing washer.

33. In a container filling apparatus, a base having vertical guideways, supports slidable vertically in said guideways, a supply tank carried by said supports, container receiving means on said base, container filling means carried by said tank, means for moving said supports vertically along their guideways to move the tank and filling means into and out of container filling position, and means cooperating with said moving means for locking said supports in either their raised or lowered position.

34. In a container filling apparatus, a base having vertical guideways, supports slidable vertically in said guideways, a supply tank carried by said supports, container receiving means on said base, container filling means carried by said tank, means for moving said supports vertically along their guideways to move the tank and filling means into and out of container filling position including lever operated cam means, and means cooperating with an element of said cam means for locking said supports in either their raised or lowered position.

35. In a container filling apparatus, a base having vertical guideways, supports slidable vertically in said guideways, a supply tank carried by said supports, container receiving means on said base, container filling means carried by said tank, means for moving said supports vertically along their guideways to move the tank and filling means into and out of container filling position including lever operated cam means, and means cooperating with an element of said cam means for locking said supports in either their raised or lowered position, said lock operating means arranged in juxtaposition with respect to the lever of said cam means.

36. In a container capping apparatus, a cap receiving magazine, a plate slidable relative to said magazine for receiving a plurality of caps from said magazine, and means attachable to said plate when the latter is removed from said magazine for retaining the caps in position on said plate, said plate being invertible and when in inverted position disposable on the tops of a plurality of containers to be capped.

37. In a container capping apparatus, a cap receiving magazine, a plate slidable relative to said magazine for receiving a plurality of caps from said magazine, said plate being invertible and when in inverted position disposable on the tops of a plurality of containers to be capped, and cooperating means supported by said plate for discharging a plurality of caps simultaneously from said plate into capping position with respect to the containers.

38. A container transfer case comprising a case frame having adjustable bottom supporting means for supporting a plurality of containers in said case frame, said bottom supporting means being releasable to discharge the containers through the bottom of said case frame.

39. Container transferring and transporting means comprising a delivery case, a container transfer case insertible within said delivery case, said transfer case having adjustable bottom supporting means for supporting a plurality of containers within said transfer case, said adjustable supporting means upon insertion of the transfer case within said delivery case being automatically releasable to discharge the containers through the bottom of said transfer case to the delivery case.

40. In a container capping apparatus, a cap receiving magazine, cap receiving means movable relative to said magazine to receive a plurality of caps from said magazine, and cap controlling means associated with said magazine and operable by said cap receiving means as the latter is moved relative to said magazine for automatically releasing the caps from said magazine when said receiving means is moved into cap receiving relation with respect to said magazine and for automatically locking the caps in said magazine when said receiving means is withdrawn from cap receiving relation with respect to said magazine.

41. In a container filling apparatus, a valveless liquid feed tube adapted to project a substantial distance within the mouth of a container to be filled, a vent tube extending within said feed tube to the bottom of the latter, the liquid flowing through said feed tube past said vent tube to fill the container to a level at the bottom of said feed tube, said feed and vent tubes being of a combined volumetric capacity so that when the tubes and container are relatively moved out of filling and venting relation, the liquid retained in said filling and vent tubes is of an amount sufficient to fill completely the space left in the top of the container above said container level and below the capping level.

42. In a container filling apparatus, a base having a central bearing, a liquid supply tank mounted on said base bearing to turn thereabout relative to said base, said tank having a discharge opening, and a plurality of container filling units supported on said base beneath said tank, said tank being rotatable about said base bearing selectively to bring said discharge opening into liquid supplying position with respect to said filling units.

43. In a container filling apparatus, a base having a central bearing, a liquid supply tank rotatably mounted on said base bearing to turn relative to said base, said tank having a plurality of supply chambers each having a liquid discharge opening, and a container filling unit mounted on said base beneath said tank, said tank being rotatable relative to said base to bring said chamber discharge openings selectively into liquid supplying position above said filling unit.

44. In a container filling apparatus, a base, a container filling unit rotatably mounted on said base to turn with respect thereto about a vertical axis, and a liquid supply tank mounted on said base above said filling unit and having a plurality of liquid chambers each having a liquid discharge opening, said filling unit being rotatable about said axis relative to said tank selectively into liquid receiving position beneath said discharge openings.

45. In a container capping apparatus, a frame having a horizontal guideway, a plurality of cap receiving magazines each receiving a stack of caps and supported by said frame, and a cap receiving plate receivable in said frame guideway and having a plurality of series of openings adapted to pass beneath said magazines selectively to receive caps from the latter as said plate is slid within the guideway beneath said magazines, the caps moving from said magazines into said plate openings by gravity, and a plate connectible to said cap receiving plate and having means for retaining the caps in said openings during transfer of said cap receiving plate from its position in said magazine frame into its capping position with respect to the containers to be capped.

46. In a container capping apparatus, a frame having a horizontal guideway, a plurality of cap receiving magazines each receiving a stack of caps and supported by said frame, a cap receiving plate receivable in said frame guideway and having a plurality of series of openings adapted to pass beneath said magazines selectively to receive caps from the latter as said plate is slid within the guideway beneath said magazines, the caps moving from said magazines into said plate open ings by gravity, means operated by said cap receiving plate as the latter is slid within said guideway for releasing the caps in said magazines so as the plate is slid within said guideway each opening therein receives a cap, and a plate connectible to said cap receiving plate and having means for retaining the caps in said openings during transfer of said cap receiving plate from its position in said magazine frame into its capping position with repect to the containers to be capped.

4'7. In a container capping apparatus, a frame having a horizontal guideway, a plurality of cap receiving magazines each receiving a stack of caps and supported by said frame, a cap receiving plate receivable in said frame guideway and having a plurality of series of openings adapted to pass beneath said magazines selectively to receive caps from the latter as said plate is slid within the guideway beneath said magazines, the caps moving from said magazines into said plate openings by gravity, means operated by said cap receiving plate as the latter is slid within said guideway for releasing the caps in said magazines so as the plate is slid within said guideway each opening therein receives a cap, said releasing means moving automatically into cap locking position when said plate is withdrawn from said frame guideway, and a plate connectible to said cap receiving plate and having means for retaining the caps in said openings during transfer of said cap receiving plate from its position in said magazine frame into its capping position with respect to the containers to be capped.

48. In a container capping apparatus, a cap receiving magazine, cap receiving means movable relative to said magazine to receive a plurality of caps from said magazine, cap controlling means associated with said magazine and operable by said cap receiving means as the latter is moved relative to said magazine for automatically releasing the caps from said magazine when said receiving means is moved into cap receiving relation with respect to said magazine and for automatically locking the caps in said magazine when said receiving means is withdrawn from cap receiving relation with respect to said magazine, and means connectible to said cap receiving means and having means for retaining the caps in said receiving means during transfer of said cap receiving means from its position in the magazine frame into its capping position With respect toth'e containers to be capped.

49. In a container transfer means, a delivery case, a spring case, and a container transfer case receivable in said spring case, said transfer case being removable from said spring case for insertion within said delivery case for transferring the containers from the spring case to the delivery case.

5'0-. In a container filling apparatus, container filling means including a liquid feed tube, a vent tube insertible in said feed tube, and spring means for yieldingly holding said vent tube in frictional engagement with the inner walls of saidfeed'tube in its venting position therein.

51.-In a container filling apparatus, a base having a vertical guideway, a support slidable inl'sa'id guideway, liquid supply means, container fillingdevices'carried by said liquid supply means, container receiving means, one of said means beingmounted on said slidable support to move therewith, means for moving said support vertically along its guideway thereby to bring the filling devices in filling relation with the containers to'be filled, and means cooperating with said moving means for locking said support in either its raised inoperative or lowered operative positio-n.

52. In a container filling apparatus, a base, a container filling unit supported by said base, and a liquidsupply tank mounted on said base above said fillingunit and'movable horizontally relative to said base, said't'an'k having a plurality of liquid supply chambers, said tank being movable horizontally relative to said base to bring said supply chambers-selectivelyinto positions to supply liquid to saidfilling' unit.

53. In a container filling and capping apparatus, a containerfilling means including a liquid supply tank having a filling tube through which liquid flowstoa container to be filled, container capping means, means for effecting relativemovement between said tank and a container to be filled-to bring-said tube and container into filling r'ela'tion,-said means also operating said capping means,saidcapping means being operated by said filling tube.

54. In a container capping apparatus, a plate having openings for receiving caps-and adapted to be supported ona plurality of containers to be capped during thecapping operation, and means supported by said plate for ejecting the caps from said openings when said plate is so supported on the containers.

55. In a container capping apparatus, a plate having openings'for receiving'caps'and adapted to be supported on a plurality of containers to be capped during the capping operation, means supported by said plate for retaining the caps in said openings, and means supported by said plate for ejecting the caps from said openings past said retaining means when said plate is so supported on the containers. 7

56. In a container filling apparatus, a filling tube, a vent tube insertible within said filling ment of said vent tube with respect to said filling tube.

57. In a container filling apparatus, a support, a liquid tank mounted for vertical movement on said support, means for raising and lowering said tank relative to said support, means on said support for receiving and supporting a container to be filled, a valveless filling tube depending from the tank bottom and adapted to project within the mouth of the container when said tank is in its lowered position for conducting liquid from said tank to the container, and a vent tube extending into said filling tube for venting the container during the filling process, said filling and vent tubes containing an exact predetermined quantity of liquid so that when said'tank is raised the liquid retained in said filling and vent tubes is adapted to fill completely the container to the exactzcapping leveldesired'readyfor capping.

58. In a container filling apparatus, container filling means including a liquid tank and a valveless filling tube carried by saidtank and adjustable therewith relative to a container to be filled into and out of container filling position, means for sealing the container when said filling tube and tank are in filling position with respect to the container, means for supplying liquid to said tank, said filling tube conducting liquid from said tank to the'container when the latter is sealed by said sealing means, said filling tube projecting downwardly within the containermouth so that when liquid is supplied to said tank by said liquid supply means the container'is filled to a level at the bottom=of said'filling tube, means movable with said tube for venting the container during the filling process, and means for effecting breaking of thecontainer seal and completely filling the containensaid complete filling operation occurring only when the seal is broken and the filling tube and venting means are raised upwardly within the container mouth.

59. In a: container filling apparatus, a valveless liquid' feed tube, when in filling position, adapted to project a substantial distance within the mouth of a container'to be filled, means associated with said feed tube adapted to seal the container when said feed tube is in filling position, a vent tube within said feed tube and extending to the bottom of the latter and likewise adapted to project within the container mouth when said filling tube is in filling position, the liquid flowing through said feed tube past said vent tube to fill the container to a level at the bottom of the feed tube, the air trapped in the container preventing further filling of the container, said filling and vent tubes being of a combined volumetric capacity so that when the tubes and container are relatively moved out of filling and venting position and the seal is broken, the liquid retained in said tubes is of an amount sufiicient to fill completely the space left in the container above the aforesaid container level and below the capping level.

601 In a container capping apparatus, a frame having a horizontal guideway, a cap receiving magazine for receiving a stack of caps and supported by said frame, a cap receiving member insertible in said guideway and having openings for receiving caps discharged from said magazine as said member is inserted within said guideway beneath said magazine, the caps moving from said magazine into said openings by gravity, and

means for holding the stack of caps in position within said magazine when said member is withdrawn from said guideway.

61. In a container capping apparatus, a frame having a horizontal guideway, a cap receiving magazine for receiving a stack of caps and supported by said frame, a cap receiving member insertible in said guideway and having openings for receiving caps discharged from said magazine as said member is inserted within said guideway beneath said magazine, the caps moving from said magazine into said openings by gravity, means for holding the stack of caps in position within said magazine when said memher is withdrawn from said guideway, and means for locking the caps in -said openings in said member when the latter is withdrawn from said guideway.

62.111 a container transfer means, a boxlike container case having partitions providing a plurality of container compartments for receiving tall containers, and detachable auxiliary supports insertible in said container compartments and supported therein in a position spaced from the bottoms of the latter for supporting short containers in said compartments.

GEORGE R. PIERCE. 

